Apparatus for liquefying gas



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheetfl. P. B; DEANE.

APPARATUS FOR LIQUEPYING GAS.

PatentedNov. 21, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS B. DEANE, OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING GAS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 509,205, dated November 21, 1893.

Application filed September 7, 1892- Serial No. 445 282. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. DEANE, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Liquefying Gases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a combined hydrostatic press and pump especially adapted for liquefying gas by compression, and it has for its object to provide an apparatus of this character economical and effective inits operation.

With other minor objects in view all of which will be fully set out in the specification, mylnvention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is atop view thereof. Fig. 31s a horizontal section on theline 33 Fig. 1 and Fig. at is a detail view hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, B B indicate hollow pistons working in the cylinders A A, which are so constructed as to serve the purpose of a ram, such as, is generally used in hydrostatic presses, and such cylinders, the construction of which is most clearly shown in Fig. 1, have their upper ends enlarged as at E for a purpose presently explained.

D indicates a stationary hollow plunger, the lower end of which snugly fits, (by means of the packing ring at) the main bore of the piston B it being provided at its lower end with a main or inlet valve 0 and outlet valves 6 e of reduced area. The plunger D is con structed of two pipes of difierent diameters; the outer face of the smaller pipe D being held apart from the inner face of the larger pipe D by the space blocks or rings 71 t', such construction providing an outlet channel way g, the area of which can be varied to suit different purposes, by the difference between the outer and inner diameters of the pipes D D These pipes D D are united and held together to form the shaft of plunger D, by the blocks or rings 7 1; before referred to, and are also attached to the head piece G, of the press by means of socket pieces h, and the inner or smaller pipe of the plunger passes through the head piece G of the press and connects with any convenient and suitable reservoir for containing gas to be compressed, and provides the passage Way for the induction of the gas into the pistons B. It will be noticed that when the piston B is down to its lowermost position the lower end of the plunger fits the reduced or main bore of the said piston, and the outer pipe D which does not extend down to the said lower end of the plunger, snugly fits within the cap plate B of the piston.

By the construction so far described, it will be noticed, that the downward movement of the pistons on the fixed plunger, provides for the induction of the gases to be treated,

through the hollow pipe D into the hollow piston B and behind the valve O. The difference in areas, of inlet valve 0 and the outlet valves e 8 provides, in connection with the stroke of pistons B, for the compression of the 7 5 gas introduced in the ratio of force developed by the movement of the pistons. As the pistons B move upward the gas held therein un der pressure is forced through the small outlet valves (2 6, into the chamber E formed between the plunger and piston; which chamber is provided for by the enlarged prolongation B of pistons B beyond the foot of the fixed plunger D, as before referred to. The

return stroke of the piston B closes the valves e e and still further compresses the gas in the chamber E and forces it through the ports f f in a liquefied form into the space g between the pipes D D from whence it passes into an outlet pipe F which delivers it to a suitable o ively of each cylinder are eachprovided with arms M, and are connected, the one with the other, by means of the chain N, which passes under friction rollers O O attached to the base of the cylinders A, and beneath the foundation plate L, thus providing for the upward and downward throw of the pistons B and the double action of the press and pump. The alternating motion of the press and pump is directed and governed by the valve P and its gear connections, which consist of the body of valve Q, the plunger rod P, the valve arm S and stop piece U. The body Qof the valve is attached to one of the cylinders A A, and

the plunger of valve P is madeto fit the bore of such body Q so as to move up and down readily. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 that the valve rod P has recesses P P P P which form passageways when brought into register with the feed and exhaust ports p10 the bodyof such valve rod or stem forming a cut off for such ports when the recesses are moved out of register. These recesses are arranged to be alternately brought into register with the feed and exhaust of each piston and cylinder, 1'. e. when the several ports are in the position shown in Fig. l the recess P is in register with the feed pipe 19' which discharges into the bottom of the left hand cylinder A, while the recess P is out of register with the exhaust pipe 19 connected with the aforesaid cylinder, and at the same time the recess P will be out of register with the feed pipe W of the right hand cylinder while the recessP will be in register with the exhaust pipe W of said cylinder. It will thus be seen that as the valve is shifted, the cylinders A A will be alternately charged and emptied by such shifting action of saidvalve. The several recesses in the plunger rod P are so distanced and placed in connection with the feed and exhaust pipes as to give the alternate ingress and egress and stoppage to the liquid in its passage to the cylinders A A and to bring about an alternate motion of the pistons B in the cylinders. The alternating motion of the plunger rod 3 is produced by the arm S, which is attached to the piston B, and which on its upward stroke, engages a lift mechanism R secured to the upper end of the rod P, and on its down movement contacts with a stop collar U secured to the said shaft P at a point near the top of the cylinders A. The upper lifting mechanism R, comprises a sleeve R adj ustably secured to the shaft P a lever arm R one end of which has a movable pivotal bearing B on the lower end of a depending arm T, secured to the brace member T which forms the upper guide for the shaft P while the opposite end of such arm is pivotally connected to the sleeve R as at B R indicates a contact member pivotally connected to the lever arm R as most clearly shown in Fig. at.

As described, it will be manifest that as the arm S travels on its up stroke it will engage the contact member R and lift it, which in turn lifts the sleeve R and valve rod P; the stroke of the rod P however, through the medium of the lever arm connections being augmented beyond the stroke of the pump cylinder to the extent of the difference between the long and short members of the said lever. This lengthening of the upward stroke of the valve rod beyond the corresponding stroke of the cylinder is necessitated, because, the change in direction of the movement of the cylinders B and B by means of the alternating valve P is effected on the upward stroke of cylinder B and must take place as near the end of the stroke as can be obtained so as to provide against dead space in the cylinders.

The change in register of ports upon downward stroke of cylinder B is effected by contact of arm S with'stop U, and is brought about by the gravitation of-cylinder B to its normal position in cylinder A, aided by its connection with its twin cylinder B which is traveling in the opposite direction. Upon the down stroke the arm S engages the stop piece U and forces the plunger valve rod back to its alternate position, and by change of the ports, reverses the direction of movement of the respective pistons B. Both the sleeve R and the stop piece U are movable upon the plunger valve rodP at the will of the operator, to allow for lengthening or shortening the stroke of the press and pump as may be desired to any point within the full stroke of the pistons B.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings the advantages of my improvedapparatus, as also the complete operation will be readily understood. It will be seen that in operation as one piston proceeds on its down stroke, it fills with gas drawn through the hollow plunger and the valve 0 by induction, while the other piston on its up stroke partially compresses the gas held within it, and as the inlet valve Ocloses, such compressed gas is forced into the chamber. E through the outlets e, and such chamber being of a much less area the gas is still further compressed, and reduced to a liquid form, and as such piston again descends, to draw in a fresh supply of gas the liquefied gas within the chamber E is forced through the openingsf into the chamberg and out through the exit pipe F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a cylinder, a hollow piston and a plunger fitting the same movable relatively as described, a valved inlet port opening into the piston, valved outlets opening through the plunger head into the upper part of the piston, an annular compression chamber of smaller capacity than the piston communicating with such piston and a discharge outlet in such compression chamber, all arranged substantially as shown whereby the gas is drawn into the piston by induction and forced into the annular chamber andliquefied by compression, as and for the purposes described;

2. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising twin cylinders; hollow pistons operating therein, having annular enlarged upper ends, fixed hollow plungers fitting the main bore of such pistons and having at their lower end a valved inlet, and valved outlets, of less diameter than the inlet, annular chambers surrounding such plungers and communicating with the pistons, said pistons having intermediate connections, a source of driving fluid for operating the pistons, and shifting valve mechanism adapted to be operated by the alternate movement of the pistons to regulate the flow of the driving fluid, all as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, in an apparatus as described, with a cylinder, a hollow piston -B having an upper enlarged portion B", and meahs for propelling such piston substantially as shown, of the plunger D formed of the pipes D' D of different diameters, spaced apart and connected at their upper and lower ends whereby to form an annular chamber 9, a port f connecting such chamber with the piston B at 'a point abovethe lower end or head of the plunger, such head having a feed or inletvalve opening into the piston below its enlarged portion, and outlet valves opening from the lower to the upper part of such piston all arranged as and for the purpose described.

4. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a cylinder, a hollow piston, a stationary hollow plunger fitting in such piston, and having a valved main or feed opening, and smaller valved discharge openings in such end, an annular chamber E intermediate the plunger and piston, the said plunger having an annular chamber 9 communicating with the chamber E said chamber g having a discharge F, and means for operating the piston substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a .pair of cylinders, a

pair of hydraulically operated pistons operating therein, intermediate valve mechanism, alternately operated by the movement of the pistons whereby such pistons are moved in unison but in alternate directions, a hollow plunger having an annular chamber provided with a discharge, and with a port opening into the hollow piston, said plunger having a feed valve operated to open on the down stroke of the pistons, and outlet valves of a less diameter operated to open on the up stroke of the said pistons all arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

6. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with the cylinders A, the pistons B, and the plungers D, constructed and arranged substantially as described, said pistons connected whereby to move in unison and in reverse directions, of the feed valve Q, having inlet and outlet ports communicating with the cylinders, the vertically reciprocating valve P having alternately arranged feed recesses, adapted to be moved into register with the ports in the valve Q, the arm S, on

one of the pistons, and the sleeve R and stop U on the valve 1? all arranged substantially as shown and described.

FRANCIS B. DEANE.

Witnesses:

W. S. GREGORY, -J AS. B. GREGORY. 

